Athletics: Whanganui athletes learn valuable lessons in competition

Nelson Doolan (Palmerston North) leads the 3000m from James Hercus, Elliot Jones and Toby Caro. Doolan was the event winner and Jones third, with Hercus and Caro dropping out in the final kilometre. Photo / Rob van Dort

Although the Centre Track and Field Championships do not seem as important to athletes as in the past, they are still an important part of the summer calendar.

The first of two programmes was held in Palmerston North last week, with a second at Cooks Gardens on Tuesday evening. There is a third-week wrap-up on Tuesday next week with 300m/400m hurdles in Whanganui and steeples, hammer and javelin in Palmerston North.

Entry numbers were a little disappointing last week on a breezy evening at the Massey Community Track in Palmerston North, but were better in Whanganui on Tuesday. Perhaps with the three Lower North Island Classic meets over a fortnight in the leadup, or perhaps the fact that it was a "championship", put off some athletes.

I am always interested as heats are allocated at the Regional League to see those who want to run in the top grade and those who settle for a B or C heat. I am reminded of the Champions League semifinal in 2007 when Chelsea and Liverpool ended the two legs and extra time level, and the place in the final to be decided on penalties. I clearly remember the Liverpool players eager to be selected for the task contrasted by the Chelsea players trying to avoid eye contact with their manager. It was no surprise to me that Liverpool won the shootout.

The first winner of last week's championships had a foot in both Whanganui and Palmerston North camps. Young Juliet McKinlay, who is in her first year at Whanganui Collegiate, won both the 70m and 80m hurdles for Palmerston North.

Whanganui's first win came immediately after McKinlay's success. New Zealand Schools hurdler Maggie Jones impressed in the 100m hurdles, running into yet another headwind. Paige Cromarty should be encouraged by her personal best in second place, further backed up with another best in the 200m (27.19) for seventh in a strong field (opting to run in the A grade brought its benefits). And 400m runner Bella Willis, who had been unable to train over the previous fortnight, should be pleased with her 26.65 for fifth in a strong field in Palmerston North, with Maggie Jones just one-hundredth behind her. They were again close in Whanganui with Jones heading Willis by two one-hundredths for fourth and fifth respectively in the 100m. The 100m provided a Palmerston North trifecta with Addira Collette winning from her twin sister Chayille (12.18 and 12.20 respectively) with Kimberley Walsh third.

There are always lessons to be learned from competing. In Palmerston North, Louise Brabyn was reluctant to go with the pace set by former New Zealand representative Ellen Schaef (Palmerston North) and New Zealand under-20 mile bronze medal winner Emma Ferguson (Feilding). Ferguson won in a personal best 2:15.26 with Schaef less than a second behind. Brabyn was rewarded by a two-second best 2:20.41 for fourth, learning valuable lessons about hanging on to the early pace.

Brabyn proved to be a quick learner and stayed with the pace in Tuesday's 1500m championship at Cooks Gardens, with Ferguson again winning from Schaef (4:38.75 and 4:40.15) and Brabyn rewarded in third with a five-second best 4:42.03. Brabyn also ran a best on Saturday's Riverbank parkrun where again she demonstrated good pace judgment.

At parkrun she was joined by teammates James Hercus and Toby Caro who had also learned valuable lessons in Palmerston North when the temptation of pizza too close to racing had its effect. Both were forced out of the 3000m race soon after the 2000m mark when on schedule for good performances. Both were more careful on Saturday morning, running on the riverbank to finish first and second with personal best times.

On Tuesday Hercus stuck with the pacemaker in the 1500m to be one of the few Whanganui winners of the evening, finishing less than a second shy of his personal best in 4:08.21. Whanganui's Travis Bayler was third (4:14.98) and 15-year-old Toby Caro set a personal best of 4:15.79 in fourth, showing clear evidence that the lessons from Palmerston North had been learned.

The Palmerston North Club impressed on Tuesday with wins in both male and female 100m championships. This double was repeated in the 400m. Palmerston North won the high jump (Amber Trow 1.58m) and the women's triple jump (Ellie Hurley Langton 9.96m).

Whanganui had success from Jacky Dai in the male triple jump (12.46m), Ana Pearce in the women's shot (9.55m) and Cody Campbell in the 4kg shot (11.85). Mark Cressingham was the leading senior thrower (8.11m). Emma Fergusson in the 1500m provided success for Nga Tawa and Feilding.